Arc Light: it's time to decide

TODAY is Decision Day on Arc Light.

Senior Liberal Democrat councillors will meet at the Guildhall at 2pm to decide which of four possible sites in the city centre will become the homeless charity's new base.

It is likely to be a difficult meeting. The question of where to put the much-needed new centre is one of the most sensitive to have faced the city.

Most people agree that the work done by Arc Light is hugely important, and that a new home for the charity is badly needed.

The question is where. Very often, the answer of York people has been: not near where we live.

Realistically, the choice for councillors today has come down to three sites: the Nunnery Lane car park; Marygate car park; and Union Terrace car park.

Council leader Steve Galloway and his colleagues could still, in theory, opt for the Reynard's Garage site in Piccadilly. But even though that may be the popular choice, it seems unlikely because of the tight timescale. If a suitable venue is not found soon, more than £1 million of Government cash to fund the new building could be lost.

In the report which councillors will use to make their decision today, City of York Council's director of housing and adult social services Bill Hodson says it is "unlikely it will be possible to confirm availability of the Reynard's Garage site for December 2007, and therefore the site may not be available in the timescale of funding availability".

Coun Galloway has insisted that today's meeting will be open and fair. Despite the "tickets-only" access necessitated by the Guildhall's limited capacity, more people will be able to speak at the meeting than during any previous debate, he has promised.

It will be councillors who decide: but it is right that the rest of us should have our say. That is why we have asked a volunteer to talk about the importance of the work Arc Light does, and allowed residents discuss their concerns about each of the possible sites.

The volunteer

York businesswoman

HELEN MAYA, a volunteer at Arc Light since 1999, says a city with a compassionate heart needs to find room for those who are less fortunate.

"HAVING read and listened to the different points of view about Arc Light, I felt moved to write from a positive perspective.

I have had a very happy secure life, full of love and affection, and have thought mainly of myself and my close family. Around the age of 50, I wanted to give something back to society. When the homeless centre began work in 1999, I knew this was for me.

I have been a volunteer listener at Arc Light ever since, simply listening to residents, their problems and their stories. It is the most rewarding experience of my life. I had no idea how lucky I had been until now.

Many of the life stories are so heartbreaking and difficult, and I feel privileged the residents put their trust in me to reveal themselves.

I can honestly say I have received nothing but affection and respect from the residents in all these years and the feeling is mutual. Love, respect and caring are always a two-way thing.

Nothing can exceed the admiration and respect I have for Jeremy Jones and the staff, many of whom began as volunteers. Their commitment and hard work has to be seen to be believed.

The Reverend Paul Wordsworth, who began Arc Light, and all the volunteers who cook, serve and give their time, are fine examples of members of the community who do not give up on the war against poverty and addiction, and have genuine compassion for those who fall victim.

Homelessness happens for many reasons to all kinds of people. It could affect our children or grandchildren, and will not just go away. We have to deal with it. It is not only a problem for Arc Light and the people who live there. It is a problem for everybody: for society. So please support us in this fight. Our conditions are very poor now and we desperately need new premises.

I understand people's concerns about safety issues and house prices. Surely it is not beyond the community of York to use their compassion and imagination to overcome the many misconceptions and pull together to find the best possible site for Arc Light, which can be a flagship project for other cities to emulate.

York then will not be just a beautiful city to live in, but one with a compassionate heart of which we can all be proud."

The sites

:: Nunnery Lane car park

There are 400 homes within 200 metres. The fact the site is so close to the bar walls could cause delays, because it may have to be referred to the Government.

What local residents will be saying today:

The area of the car park needed is calculated on the basis of an inaccurate plan and many more places than the number stated will have to be lost.

The car park is close to a school, elderly persons' housing and is in a dense residential area, creating concerns in the community.

The building will obscure views of the city wall, and could be subject to objections from English Heritage. The archaeology of the site and the limitations on what can be built there will increase time and expense.

The "well-lit" route to the site at night is along Micklegate, where the residents of the facility could be at risk of attack, so people will cut through Bishophill (not well-lit).

Car parking and servicing can only be provided from the car park itself.

The external "garden" will be cramped, overlooked and north-facing.

It will make air quality in Nunnery Lane worse by enclosing the road on both sides.

The site is cramped, there is no space for expansion, and the building will be an awkward shape.

The loss of car parking could affect local businesses, churches and community facilities.

:: 17-21 Piccadilly (former Reynard's Garage)

Still theoretically a possibility - but unlikely to be chosen because of the tight timescale. Its proximity to the Castle Piccadilly regeneration area is also a complicating factor.

:: Marygate car park

THERE are 225 homes within 200 metres. Access would be through Marygate, the Museum Gardens or the riverside - all judged to be "not at all well lit".

What local residents will be saying today:

"We support the principle of the Arc Light Centre and the need for these facilities in York. However, we also wish to place on record our complete opposition to the choice of Marygate as one of the preferred sites.

Marygate car park is situated in a densely populated area, surrounded by hotels, guesthouses, residential properties and sheltered accommodation. There are also two schools and a nursery in the area. It must be questioned whether or not it is suitable to place a hostel for the homeless, many of whom have drink and drug addiction problems, in such an area.

There is no main route from the city centre to the proposed site. People wishing to visit the centre would have to access it through a spider web of paths and lanes, which are in the main badly lit.

While the area is busy during the day, at night these paths are often deserted and feel isolated.

The Yorkshire Museum already has a problem with drink and drug abuse in the Museum Gardens. Press reports over the last few years point to residents being intimidated by people "hanging" around in the vicinity of the existing Arc Light centre. There is also a history of antisocial behaviour.

In these circumstances, it would be better that the centre be relocated to a main road location.

Finally, no archaeological evaluation has been made of the site. If anything were to be found, it would cause a delay, which could lead to Arc Light losing its funding."

:: Union Terrace car park

THERE are 230 houses within 200 metres. The site is considered to have good access from the city centre, and is within walking distance of "all relevant amenities".

What local residents will be saying today:

Claremont Terrace, Union Terrace and Portland Street Residents' Association (CUPRA) has submitted a 62-page document, which challenges the legitimacy of using Union Terrace car park for the new Arc Light building, and a 1,079-signature petition against the selection of the site.

The document provides solid evidence to back its claims that Union Terrace is not a suitable site.

The main concerns focus on "integration into the local community" and "the security of neighbours", and are based on published evidence and personal experience. The clear conclusion is that a hostel for rough sleepers carries too many risks to be located in a residential area.

An objective review concludes that the Reynard's Garage, Piccadilly is the best site for the location of a new flagship building, being central, not surrounded by residential buildings and in need of immediate redevelopment. This site has a clear public mandate, with strong support, compared with Union Terrace car park, which would face strong opposition.

CUPRA also has concerns about the validity of the consultation process it believes has been rushed. City of York Council has produced incorrect and misleading information, CUPRA believes, which was designed to steer public opinion in favour of the Union Terrace site.

When this failed, the Piccadilly site was effectively precluded from the decision-making process, a decision on its future apparently now "premature". This despite its planning brief for Castle-Piccadilly, which states that, due to its derelict nature, the site should be developed in the short-term.

Updated: 09:35 Tuesday, May 02, 2006